As personal communications devices (e.g., cell phones) are developed to support greater and greater functionality, people are using them to do much more than talk. As is well known, these devices now usually allow their users to create media files (e.g., by taking a picture or by recording a video using a camera on the device), to download media files from remote servers (via a web interface supported by the device), and to access interactive applications.
However, even as people spend more time online, traditional media remain very important. Indeed, rather than simply replacing traditional media time with online time, many people are beginning to “multi-task,” that is, to combine traditional and new media. For example, while they watch television, their personal communications device becomes a “companion device” displaying content often, but not always, related to the content shown on their television. Similarly, while they are engaged in an interactive application on their companion device, they remain at least peripherally aware of the content that the television is displaying.
Televisions and companion devices are not designed to optimize the same type of user interactions. Terminology reflects this distinction: Television programming is aimed at “viewers,” while companion devices invite “users.” That is, television programming is designed, for the most part, to be passively watched while the viewer “leans back” on his couch. Companion devices, supporting fully interactive applications, invite users who “lean forward” to more actively interact with the applications.